Triumph Transformation - 1968 Spitfire MKII

The Spitfire's restoration finally heads into the home stretch

Feature Article from Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car

I've been disappointed in myself ever since the winter of '76, because I hoped I would have had my Spitfire back on the road again the previous summer. After 31 years, you would think I'd have found enough time to finish putting this little sports car together, but the responsibilities of everyday life always seems to get in the way--which is kind of pathetic, because a Spitfire isn't as complex as, say, an Auto Union, nor is its body as intricate as a coachbuilt Bugatti. Nope, a Spitfire is as simple as a car can be made, yet I just can't seem to finish assembling it.
When I had the Hemmings editorial staff help me place the body onto the chassis back in early May, I sincerely thought that it would have been on the road by July. Now it's early September, and I haven't even been able to schedule a half-day to work on it. Every now and then I sneak in an hour or two to bolt on a piece of trim or connect some electrical component, but that's about it.
Aside from the minor jobs that are detailed below, the next big project will be to install the carpeting and all the interior trim. On the mechanical side, all that's left to do is to rebuild the Weber carburetors and get the engine started. Now that our busy summer car show schedule is just about over, I'm confident that it will be running before the first snow flies.
PHOTO 1
Before I started installing the exterior trim, I removed the new carpet set from its box and laid it out on my big table. After eight weeks, many of the creases that resulted from the carpet being folded for shipping are no longer there, which makes it easier to install.
PHOTO 2
The original taillamp housings were sprayed with two coats of clear lacquer to ward off rusting, and I cleaned the inner brass electrical contacts thoroughly to ensure maximum conductivity.
PHOTO 3
It's easier to fasten the two trunk hinges onto the rear scuttle without the trunk lid being attached. Even with the gas tank installed, there's still plenty of room to fasten the nuts.
PHOTO 4
After the gas tank was bolted in, a new stainless steel gas line was screwed in place. A new rubber grommet was inserted into the access hole to hold the gas line in position.
PHOTO 5
I installed new exterior door glass weatherstripping to ensure that no water gets into the door. It's a tedious job due to limited working space and all the clips involved to hold the rubber in place; it took five hours to do the first door, then a mere 30 minutes to do the other.
PHOTO 6
The original trunk lid prop, along with the original screw and spring washer, were beadblasted to remove all traces of rust and corrosion; then they were sprayed with several coats of clear lacquer for protection against the elements.
PHOTO 7
Before snapping on the inner door panels, the window mechanism needs to be liberally coated with white grease for long-term smooth operation. Raise and lower the window several times while spraying on the grease to ensure maximum coverage of the gears and sliders.
PHOTO 8
The speedometer cable screws on quickly, but you need to make sure that it's straight and free of creases, and that the inner steel cable spins freely.
PHOTO 9
Before installing the carpet, a new rubber boot was installed over the emergency brake handle. A little bit of lubricant on the handle allows the rubber boot to slide on quickly and easily.

This article originally appeared in the November, 2007 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car.